I read once that the average date Americans abandon their New Year’s resolutions is February 17. Hmm, those declarations of life-changing goals don’t seem to last very long. Yet we continue to make those resolutions year after year, setting personal goals as if buying a new calendar is sufficient motivation to attain them.
I’ve never been particularly serious about sticking to New Year’s resolutions. In fact, most years, I don’t even bother to make any. But last year, I felt I needed a change in my life. Maybe change is too strong of a word. Let’s call it movement. I needed some movement in my life. Some stretching of unused muscles. Some forward momentum. A swift kick in the ass. So I made a short list of realistic, attainable resolutions in the hopes of movement.
I won’t go into that list, and I won’t go into detail about which ones I stuck to and which ones I abandoned (yes, I did abandon some by February 17). But I will say that I stuck to the important ones. And I found that movement I was looking for.
Because my New Year’s resolutions were so successful in 2010, I thought I’d repeat the tradition again in 2011.
Here are my…
Top 10 List of My New Year’s Resolutions
10) KEEP UP MY BLOG. Starting a blog was one of my resolutions last year, and I had no idea how much movement this resolution would stir up. I may not post as frequently as I used to, but I’m hoping to stay on the roller coaster ride for another year.
9) PLAY MORE GAMES. All my life, I’ve loved games. Hopscotch and tag, board games and card games, video games and computer games. Now that my kids are getting older, I’m noticing how much they love games too. Whether I establish a weekly game night or impromptu Wii challenges, I want to take advantage of 1 of the few activities my whole family can have fun doing together.
8) WATCH/READ THE NEWS MORE. I don’t like watching the news. I think it’s depressing. And I don’t particularly care for reading the news either. I get bored VERY easily. But I like knowing what’s going on in the world, so I need to get over myself and keep up with current events.
7) READ AT LEAST ONE BOOK PER MONTH. I used to go through books faster than I could buy them. But in the last 6 months, I’ve only read 2 books. (Granted they were each 600 plus pages, but still, that’s pathetic!) I miss that escape of disappearing into the world of good fiction.
6) GET BACK INTO THE RACE. Like I said last month, running has always been a huge part of my life. And now that I’m finally over my hamstring injury, I’m psyched about signing up for races again. I’m hoping to run a handful of 5k’s and maybe a 10k before bumping up my spring training for a half marathon at the end of the summer. Crank up my “Sweat It Out” playlist, lace up my new running shoes, and I’m off!
5) SUBMIT MY CHILDREN’S BOOK MANUSCRIPT (AGAIN). I wrote the book over 5 years ago. I got a year of rejection letters. I shelved it for 4 years and then revised it a few months ago. Time to spruce up that cover letter! And who knows, maybe it will inspire me to write a new one.
4) TRY NOT TO STRESS ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF MY CONTROL. This is actually my mom’s idea because I think it’s one of her own resolutions, and I seem to have inherited her worry gene.
3) EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR AT LEAST ONE THING EVERY DAY. As I explained yesterday, I’m starting Project Gratitude. I want to end each day thinking about at least one thing I’m thankful for.
2) ESTABLISH A WORKOUT ROUTINE. Before I went back to work, my daily schedule typically revolved around my workout routine. Now I have to figure out how to establish my workout routine according to my daily schedule. I have to get over the “I’m too tired from work” attitude and teach myself how to work out in the evening. More specifically, I want to start out by going to the gym at least once during the week and using my Wii Fit at least twice a week. Once I get used to that, I can increase the frequency of gym visits.
1) START WRITING THE NOVEL THAT’S COMPLETELY WRITTEN IN MY HEAD. Realistically, I probably won’t start on this resolution until June when I start my summer vacation, but it’s a resolution that’s been on my list for the last decade. This is my year.
What are some of your New Year’s Resolutions?
I enjoyed reading your Resolutions. Last year I decided I wouldn't make a resolution on Jan 1, so I waited until after my birthday 1/11…and decided to lose weight. I got a treadmill and as of today have lost almost 30 pounds. (I got a little lax along the way but am determined not to find that 30 #).
Last night I decided to put forth more effort in my businesses…
and I have decided to be more "unconditionally in love" with myself….I have found I am far from perfect or good-and that is ok-as long as my choices do not hurt others.
Thanks again for sharing!
This year, it is to be more dedicated and disciplined in my writing. I have a completed manuscript that needs a serious overhaul, and another that is halfway written.
I would LOVE to read your book. If anyone can do it, YOU can! I'm rooting for you. For books, you can find some of us on goodreads. I'm on there. I don't read as much as I used to either. The library here is soso, and I don't make enough to buy all the books I can read. lol.
is your childrens book a picture book?